:: Diary - March 2020 ::

:: Monday, March 9, 2020 ::

I have the car booked in today for a couple of bodywork repairs - the crack in the bonnet, and some stress cracks round the boot.

That means I have to leave at 8.30 and drive through peak traffic, which I'm not keen on any more. It's also freezing cold, which adds to the fun. It starts first time, idles reasonably well (at least it now idles!) and I'm off! Never was driving in peak hour traffic so much fun! In addition, the brakes seem to be working as I think they should. Happy happy!

The trip to the garage takes around 45 minutes, and at least the rain goes off during that time, so it's really quite pleasant.

I drop the car off, and then spend almost 2 hours getting home on 2 buses. It's due to be ready later this week, but I've become a bit busy later this week so I might be struggling to collect it. I'll deal with that nearer the time.

:: Thursday, March 12, 2020 ::

The garage called today - they have a wee problem in that they don't want to bake the new paint on the car, they're leaving it to air dry so it won't be ready this week. Phew!

Monday or Tuesday!

I don't know why I'm bothering though... it's starting to look like big events will be cancelled because of this coronavirus that's doing the rounds. You can't buy soap, bog roll, or eggs in the shops, people are stockpiling as if they are facing armaggedon. The news channels are full of the latest casualty statistics, etc, but there's bugger all advice on how to recognise if you have it, or how to avoid getting it (apart from washing your hands every 10 minutes).

Now that's all very well, but there's also a lot of misinformation bouncing around. What do you believe?

Seeing as I am supposed to be in a "vulnerable category" (being an older git), I'm shitting myself, which is unfortunate because (a) it's not nice, and (b) I can't find anything to wipe my arse with (except some of the mainstream newspapers, which is, to be fair, all that most of them are good for). My pension fund has taken a hammering, and I can't even go on holiday (not even the one I've already booked...).

I'm so pissed off that I would self-isolate if it wasn't too early.

:: Wednesday, March 18, 2020 ::

Well, what a difference a day makes (or 3 days in this case). The UK government have announced various measures to combat this coronavirus, and although we're not at the stage of total lockdown, it may only be a matter of time...

The TVR isn't finished yet (due to people being off sick apparently - I suspect some people are taking advantage of the "7 days paid sick leave from day 1" measures, without thinking that their employer might already be struggling, and that they might not have a job to go back to. Maybe they're right though.

Yesterday the TVR Car Club announced that the first event of the season, at Burghley in April, is cancelled. Fortunately I booked the Premier Inn as a "flex" so I haven't paid yet - so cancelling the accommodation is easy. Definitely no rush to get the TVR back now!

The Sporting Bears have cancelled everything at least until May, so it looks like the Chevy isn't going to be busy either.

I was speaking yesterday to the guy who was interested in buying the Porsche - he says that with people being off, and some contracts being cancelled, his business might soon be struggling too. Looks like I might be hanging on to the Porsche for a bit longer!

On the plus side, I've now got all this time on my hands, with an empty garage, so I've been tidying it out. I've been to the tip twice over the last 3 days, and unearthed spare parts that I have forgotten I had! Those are all stored away logically in places where I won't remember by the time I need them.

I also bought an ex-display storage unit from B&Q for £20, which fits nicely inside the garage door.

I still need to reorganise stuff (for example, I have car cleaning stuff in 3 different places), but I can do that when the curfew is imposed and you get shot for stepping past your garden gate, which will be a necessity once your own garden is covered in shit because you've been scraping your arse up and down your lawn like a dog with worms, because you can't buy bog paper.

This is how it looks just now. I don't have a "before" photo, but trust me, it looked like Albert Steptoe's spare room.

:: Saturday, March 21, 2020 ::

I've spent the last couple of days on tidying out the garage again, and putting up a couple of shelves. Between chucking stuff out, and adding shelves etc, I'm going to run out of stuff to put in all these places...

Anyway - I got the call yesterday afternoon telling me that the Tvr is ready, but it was too late to go for it - so I get a lift through this morning to collect it.

I realised that it's 17 years this week since I bought the car, and it looks better than it ever has! I pay the bill and set off for home, which oddly seems to be half an hour further away than the journey here took - possibly because I covered several extra (self-isolation) miles.

It's running like a sewing machine and it looks great!

I remember that when I dropped the car off, I couldn't lock the passenger door, because the handle is sticking in the "up" position and not allowing the lock to engage. I've had problems with this lock - it was clogged with grease, and then the inside release cable broke. I've fixed both of those things, but now this... So I remove the door trim, and then take out the lock (see last November the 9th for details!). The lock itself is working fine though, so I turn my attention to the door handle.

The key is working fine, it's the handle that is sticking up, snd not springing back down. I decide to take the handle off, but it's held in with flat head screws inside the door, and you can't get to them because the window glass is in the way... I can't be bothered taking the glass out, so I try spraying silicone lubricant up the edges of the handle from the outside. A couple of sprays on the hinge at the front, and then at the back where I think the internal spring is. Leave it for a minute or two and then work the handle up and down, and it soon frees up.

So then all I have to do is put the lock back in and connect up the operating rods, and check that it works. It's perfect! So then I replace the door trim and speaker, and it's all sorted!

:: Sunday, March 22, 2020 ::

More self-isolation required - so I take the roof of and go for a wee run. I'm not going to mingle, or even speak to anybody, I just want a wee shot in the car!

After an hour or so (driving the long way!) I park up for a couple of photos. This one echoes photos of the Porsche and my old Cerbera in the same place.

The place is busy though - full of people self-isolating. I didn't expect to see the usual bikers, but they're there, dozens of them, at their usual cafe (which I though was supposed to be shut during the current situation). They are greeting each other with handshakes and sitting in wee groups. Don't these guys read newspapers or watch the news?

When I get home I read that touristy places in the Highlands are experiencing more visitors than ever this weekend, and the car parks around Snowdonia are packed. This is obviously people getting out for "fresh air" beside everybody else. Do they think that a virus only works in cities?

Maybe I'm just as bad... but at least I'm not near anyone else.

I head for home and put the car in the garage. It might be a while before I drive it again, depending if the government intensify or enforce the concept of "isolation", but I've made the most of it.

I spend the rest of the day washing 2 cars and cutting and putting up a shelf in the kitchen.

:: Tuesday, March 24, 2020 ::

Yesterday, I went out and bought oil and an oil filter for the TVR, so that I can do an oil change at some point. Last night, the government announced an effective "lockdown" to tackle this virus - essential travel only, only essential shops to remain open, close all pubs, restaurants, etc. You're allowed to exercise once a day, and shop for essentials, otherwise the advice is to stay at home unless you have an essential job and are unable to work from home.

Looks like we won't be going anywhere today then! I shift the car out of the garage and carry out a wee oil & filter change - jack the car up and support it with axle stands, put a tray underneath and remove the sump plug. Have a welcome rest under the car while the oil drain out, and replace the sump plug. Then I move the drain can and remove the oil filter and wiggle it out. Install the new filter, refill with oil and check the level after a few minutes. Sorted!

I'll have to store the old oil behind the garage until I can take it to a recycling centre (which is closed today and for the foreseeable future).

Then it's back to tidying out the garage... I've found bits that I forgot I had - a pair of rear lights and 4 headlamp rings, two original (cracked) front indicators, etc. I also find Ferodo asbestos-rich brake pads for a 1968 Sunbeam Alpine (that I sold in 1980) and a steering wheel for a Ford Escort (that I sold in 1981). They go in the bin at last!